Seeking To Honor James Buckley
Rep. Bob Turner announced that he is working on a bill to honor former New York Senator and wildlife refuge center advocate James L. Buckley at a June 12 press conference in front of the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center, which would be renamed in his honor.
“Today, I would like to announce that I plan to introduce a piece of legislation that will honor a man who was pivotal in making this park a reality, former New York Senator James L. Buckley, by naming the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center the ‘James L. Buckley Visitor Center,'” Turner said at the June 12 conference. “Senator Buckley was a proud American and a true public servant, serving at the highest levels in all three branches of government, as well as the United States Navy.” “Prior to being elected to the Senate, Senator Buckley learned the importance of being fiscally conservative during his more than 20 years in the business world and brought a common sense approach to economics with him to Washington,” Turner dded. “Another area Senator Buckley was passionate about was environmental conservation and his love of bird watching.”
Following his election to the Sen- ate in 1970, Buckley spent his first days in the Senate working with Senator Jacob Javits on the legislation that would create Gateway, a more than 26,000 acre area in three boroughs that stretches all the way to Sandy Hook, N.J. This year, as it celebrates its 40th anniversary, Gateway welcomes more than eight million visitors annually.
Buckley was committed to wildlife protection, in particular protecting the 325 species of birds that fly through the area as part of the At lantic Migratory Flyway.
“This would be a wonderful and appropriate honor for our father. His love of Nature, and birds in particular, is well known, and helping create the preserve was one of the great privileges he had serving in the senate. We thank Congressman Turner for this very thoughtful idea,” The Honorable James L. Buckley’s six children said in a joint statement.
After a few brief remarks, Turner called on local Queens residents and community leaders Herbert Stupp and Tom Long to speak about the name change.
Stupp, the former NYC Commissioner at the Department of Aging from 1994-2002, and a Bayside resident praised Turner’s efforts and spoke about the importance of the park and Senator Buckley’s Commitment to wildlife protection and the park’s development.
“It is fitting and overdue that our former U.S. Senator, Jim Buckley, is recognized for his leadership as a Senator, an Undersecretary, and a Federal appeals court judge. Senator Buckley carried the legislation creating the Gateway National Recreation Area, including the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge. I salute Congressman Bob Turner for his initiative to rename the Visitor Center at the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge for Senator Buckley.”
Following Stupp, Long, a member of Community Board 14, echoed the Congressman’s sentiments towards honoring the man behind the facility as it stands today.
“It has been a long time since former U.S. Senator James L. Buckley was a co-sponsor of Bill S-1192 which created the Gateway National Recreation area. He spoke on behalf of the Bill in 1972. What better tribute to give to Senator Buckley than by renaming the Visitor Center at the Jamaica Bay Wildlife Refuge Center after a man who helped to create this great park?” Long said.
Turner sees the renaming of the center a fitting tribute to the man who helped create the park with the purpose of attracting the visitors that would frequent his namesake center.
“I am proud to have the opportunity to introduce this bill that will honor a man who not only served his state and his country with great pride, but who also had the vision to create this amazing park for us to enjoy and share with our future generations,” he concluded.
